The Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene Degree Completion program provides an opportunity for licensed dental hygiene graduates to develop future leadership roles in education, public health, commercial ventures, professional associations, and/or health advocacy programs.  It can enhance career opportunities available to dental hygienists in a variety of areas, including but not limited to, state and county health departments, academia, sales and marketing, pharmaceuticals, dental consulting, dental insurance companies, and research. Program activities promote development of professional leadership skills and prepare hygienists for entry into graduate programs. The program’s objectives are designed to provide students with the education and skills to:

• perform dental hygiene services in a variety of settings (e.g., public health clinics, school systems, institutions, and hospitals)

• serve as a resource person and collaborate with other healthcare personnel in assessing healthcare needs and providing health care services to the public

• assess, plan, implement, and evaluate effective teaching methodologies in an educational setting

• supervise the teaching of dental hygiene services in a clinical or public health setting

• prepare for admission to graduate degree programs

• continue their professional education and personal growth

Admission Policies & Procedures for Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene -Degree Completion

Graduates from an ADA accredited dental hygiene program holding an Associate of Science in Dental Hygiene degree and a current dental hygiene license must submit an online application by February 1   to be considered for the Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene - Degree Completion program.  An applicant who received their Associate of Science in Dental Hygiene degree with a minimum of 90 credit hours from an accredited program other than Indiana University will be considered a transfer student for the purpose of fulfilling general education requirements at IU Northwest.  If a graduate from an Associate of Science in Dental Hygiene (ASDH) program does not have the minimum 90 credits hours, the student will need to take additional approved course electives at IU Northwest which must total 90 credit hours prior to applying to the BSDH degree completion program.

Courses required for admission may be taken at any Indiana University campus or may be accepted as transfer credit from other accredited institutions if the residency requirement has been met.  However, priority consideration is given to those students completing the majority of their coursework on the IU Northwest campus.  Contact the Dental Education Program Advisor for more information.  A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50/4.00 is required.  Students with the highest overall GPA will be granted admission.  Students are expected to complete the coursework for the completion degree within seven years from the date of admission.

Residency Requirements

• A minimum of 30 credit hours must be completed at Indiana University.  Transfer credit into Indiana University will not count toward meeting the residency requirement.
• 20 of the 30 credit hours for the BSDH Completion Degree must be taken at IU Northwest.
• Students must earn a grade of C or higher in all required courses and maintain a semester and overall GPA of at least 2.5/4.0.
• Completion of the degree must be within seven years from the date of enrollment in the first course toward the BSDH completion degree.

Priority consideration is given to those students completing coursework on the IU Northwest campus. Admission is competitive based on cumulative GPA, pre-professional coursework, and the GPA for professional dental hygiene courses.  A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50/4.00 is required. The bachelor of science in dental hygiene degree completion requires 30 credit hours beyond the 90 earned for the IU Northwest ASDH degree to equal 120 credit hours.